National Football League free agency: Star Lotulelei will sign with Buffalo Bills

On Tuesday morning, a day before the official start to the free agency period, multiple national reports broke that Norwell struck a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Williams, 34, was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday when the league year begins. Brandon Beane, the longtime assistant general manager in Carolina, is Buffalo's current GM.

Just as valuable as Williams was on the field, it was his leadership in the locker room that helped first-time head coach Sean McDermott reinforce the culture change that had to take place for the Bills to grow into a successful franchise again.

Panthers guard Trai Turner's large contract, plus five years and $55.5 million tied up in Matt Kalil at left tackle made it hard for the Panthers to keep Norwell.

After playing in his first playoff game last season, veteran Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams will return for another season. He also recovered two fumbles for the Panthers. By signing Lotulelei, Buffalo's front office fills a glaring hole with a familiar face. Meanwhile, Short, a 2013 second-round pick, accumulated 24.5 sacks over the past three seasons and parlayed that into a five-year, $80.5 million extension before last season.